rear axle check straps-

[alaskajosh]

What will happen if I remove these? If damage to shocks why do no other leaf sprung vehicles (that I know of) use them? And why don't the front axles need them?

[scott]

i busted my left one while rock crawl'n. been out since without replacing it but i will someday. they are used to keep you from overarticlating and possible extending the rear propeller shaft such that the slip yoke seperates from the shaft i've been told. the front does require 'em as the front axle will not articulate as much as the rear.

[I Leak Oil]

I've had them off for years now and even with parabolics, which flex a little more, haven't had any issues with the drive shaft, brake lines or shocks coming apart. I've had the rear flexed to the max several times...
Jason T.

[LaneRover]

If all you do is light off roading and regular driving on the road then you will be fine without them. When I first got into Rovers which was just before everyone was spending $$$$ to restore them, most of the ones I saw still had the remnants of the axle check straps dangling there and no one bothered to replace them.

Brent

[69Bugeye]

Early shocks had no internal stops to prevent overextending. That's what the straps are for. Modern shocks have the internal stop so you don't need the straps except for authenticity.

steve
(just dredging up old issues...)

[TeriAnn]

The shocks on a Series rig are not very long. The rear straps are there to be the articulation stop instead of the shock. The rear propshaft on an 88 os very short as is the slip joint used by Rover. It is possible that the check straps prevent the rear slip joint from reaching its limit when both rear springs are at full downward articulation (rear in the air).

Front leaf springs are quite short and can not flex as much as the longer rear springs. Also the front propshaft is longer than an 88 rear shaft. They don't need them.

Check straps are in common use in the extreme rock crawling set to keep their suspension for over articulating.

When I needed new propshafts, I just had Great Basin Rovers make up ones with longer slip joints and high angle U joints. With my low friction leaf springs I was running out of U joint clearance on the front.

Check straps are not needed if you don't excersize your suspension to its limits or if you don't mind the extended shock stops being the suspension stop to hault the movement of ther entire axle assembly.

[alaskajosh]

Funny, I posted this nearly two years ago and I'm still as unenlightened and unconvinced of the given explanations as ever.

Given reasons include:
-shocks of that period can't handle stress of "topping out".

I don't see this.
In the front, where LR didn't spec straps, it's my front shocks limit spring travel by >1" with no noted ill effects. While in the rear, where LR placed the straps, my factory shocks easily outdistance the spring's limited travel.
Others relate running in all conditions, sans straps, with no noted ill effects.
Hundreds of other models of that period didn't use straps to protect their shocks of that period.

-driveline will separate at the slip joint.

Most of the same arguments from above. My factory set up is limited by spring and shock travel well before the slip joint approaches divorce.
Other anecdotal evidence of running w/o straps and no driveline seperation.

-driveline will foul on the frame crossmember.

That I can tell this explanation comes the closest to being likely. I have heard reports of drivelines fouling where passing through the hole in a 109 frame member. Usually with aftermarket components. My (factory) set-up won't/hasn't touched regardless of strap limitation.


-straps acted as an early type of anti-sway bars, controlling body roll.

May be?


I can't understand how Teriann's low friction spring setup (same travel potential, no more, no less, as any other.. just more effortless flex) would have anything to do with Ujoint angles, slip-joint length, or the travel related issues pertaining to limiting straps.

I had happily given up on a conclusive answer to this strap question and that's probably what I'll go back to now.

Kind regards, Josh

[Daurie]

I know one thing for sure. When I have my truck up on the lift the rear u joint is at such an angle that there is interference between the bolts that hold the flange on the p brake drum and the u joint yoke.